


Out of a Hundred

by Flightstone



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: Gen, M/M, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2018-04-29 20:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 3,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5141063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightstone/pseuds/Flightstone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of 100-word drabbles about Asbel Lhant and Richard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ballroom (Party)

“Honestly, brother. I can’t begin to fathom what you were thinking. And in front of the entire assembly.”

Groaning, Asbel hunched forward. The scene repeated; Richard stood in the center of a grand and glittering ballroom, palm extended towards him. Weren’t there rules against disgracing a king at his own celebration? Besides, refusing had never crossed his mind.

“You may as well have announced last night that you and King Richard are an _item_.”

Asbel’s skull nearly collided with his kneecap. “Wh-what?!”

“It’s true, isn’t it?” Arms folding, Hubert waited.

“I– No. I mean…!” Asbel stammered, blushing hard. “Not yet.”


	2. Only Human

"Richard?"

The noisy clink of armor seemed to intrude upon an otherwise peaceful throne room as Asbel strode towards its heart. He expected to find the king lost in some official document or other, but instead Richard was slouched back, head inclined to one side in slumber.

Normally Richard commanded enough presence to fill the royal seat, but right then it dwarfed him, making him appear vulnerable and worn out -- and heart-achingly human. 

Smiling, Asbel knelt and reached over to brush his arm. "Come on, let's get you to bed. You've been working too hard." 

Soon Richard's eyelids eased open.


	3. Friendship

Friends... They're _friends_.

Richard holds tight to the ship's railing as he gazes out at sparkling waves. Everything seems more vibrant somehow, now that such a common word has been given concrete meaning and caused this well of joy to bubble up inside his chest. He might even tell Father. Perhaps the news will earn a smile or chuckle from the man who is king, still tucked away in his personal quarters. Sick.

'Not sick...' Richard reminds himself.

But even knowing that, Richard feels lighter than he has in a very long while. Breathless and brave and brimming with hope.


	4. Stirring of the Wind

Wind pounds in his ears, racing the excited thrum in his heart as the next rooftop is cleared. The capital spans like spilled contents from a treasure chest, tiny forms winking into sight. So much more the desire to protect and better people's lives when he is free to take direct action, disguised without protocol or assemblies to intervene. 

Heels skid, and before he can stop it he is tumbling, crashing, ground-rushing. He doesn't know how or why, but pain never flairs; he's thankful for that.

"Hey! You okay?!" Asbel stares down at him, eyes creased with a name half-remembered.


	5. Eternity

Inside Richard's chambers, an ornate clock marks the minutes. Asbel waits for him to be excused from one final audience, foot tap-tapping uneven rhythms into the plush carpet. Fingers nudge into his left coat pocket, reassured by the smooth curve of metal and the many facets of the cryas stone he finds exactly where he left it five seconds ago.

Asbel hasn't exactly planned this out, doesn't have words prepared. Doesn't know if Richard will - or can - accept. But he knows about smiles and kindness and the static that rises whenever Richard touches him. 

Knows it could last him forever.


	6. Making History

The council room fills with a wave of murmurs. Poised before the table, Richard scans a sea of agitated noblemen and pauses only when his gaze falls on Asbel. The lord of Lhant stands silently, looking back without judgment. It must be difficult to hear, Richard realizes. Even in proposing an end to monarchy and bloodlines, a representative government where the capable and good will lead, he's still taking something away. A legacy, tradition...and the crumbling remains of this man's dreams of knighthood.

"I'm sorry," Richard murmurs some two hours later. Asbel takes his hand and squeezes it tight.


	7. Never Again

All he has left is this instant.

Lambda coils tighter in a bid to regain control and the overwhelming power they've absorbed resonates, pounds at the edges of his mind and threatens to break. How has it not yet consumed him?

Asbel kneels, face pinched; focused.  
Richard wants to believe that his will could save him and knows, too, that he doesn't deserve it.

Words form and fade:

 _Thank you._  
_I'm sorry._  
_Please forgive me._

Slender talons long to reach out, but he can't risk hurting him. Not again.  
Never again.

"Richard, don't give up!"

Don't lose hope.  
Live on.


	8. Summer Haze

"This was a good idea," Richard murmured.

"Yeah, it was." 

Sighing, Asbel rolled onto his stomach and pushed up on hands and knees. Richard lounged beside him, an old traveling cloak serving as a makeshift picnic blanket for the both of them.

Surrounded by a chorus of cicadas and the sheltering shade of their tree, it was a little too easy to lose track of time. Richard tilted his head up, a slow smile forming on his perfect face, and Asbel let the seconds slip away again, basking in a warm glow at least a hundred times better than summer.


	9. Umbrella

Rainy days were a blessing.

It was then that they walked side-by-side between classes while droplets pattered against the canopy of Asbel's umbrella. No one noticed the way arms tangled as together they held their canvas roof aloft or how Richard always leaned in just before they parted. Better yet, the shushing hiss of water on sidewalks leant privacy to their conversations. When it poured, they moved beyond quips and emergency quizzes to making weekend plans. They shared hopes and regrets, Richard's cremnophobia, and that one time eight years ago when Asbel earned eleven stitches.

Rain never came often enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this is a college AU drabble, I took a few liberties with headcanon that I wouldn't otherwise include such as Richard's "fear of steep cliffs" (new word!). This is only meant as a nod at the source material.


	10. Breaking Away

Insistent buzzing wakes him and ice floods his body when Asbel hears a tremulous voice over his cellphone.

" _Richard?_ Where are you?! I'm coming to get you!"

Asbel trips over a gaming controller trying to locate keys to Dad's old pickup. He ignores the speedometer, screeching as he pulls into the convenience store parking lot. He sees a face behind the glass, yanks the door open, and pulls Richard's hunched form to his chest.

"I had to get away..." Richard begins, skin clammy and toes bare against asphalt.

"It's okay," Asbel says, tucking him closer. "You're safe now. I promise."


	11. Introduction

He doesn't know what it is. Just a crazy feeling?

The new exchange student sits three rows over, reading through lines for an upcoming drama club production.   
It's no wonder he's making a buzz. Even if rumors weren't spreading about his near-perfect marks or the prestigious family he belongs to, anyone could see this guy's something else completely. 

Oddly nervous, he marches forward. He hasn't got a clue what they'd talk about; he's not even interested in theater.  
But it doesn't matter, his hand's already out and somehow this doesn't feel like an introduction at all.

"Hey, wanna be friends?"


	12. Echoes

"Come on, don't tell me you've never done it. Or at least wanted to?" 

Before Richard could answer, Asbel made a snatch for his arm and pulled him along. The view from his hillside was as expansive and lush as ever, stretching through fields and clusters of forest before rising to peaks in the distance. Never once letting go, Asbel grinned while he cupped free hand to mouth and shouted into the valley below. The sound reverbed and scattered, repeating over a dozen times.

"See? Give it a try, Richard!"

And he did. Those words echoing out across the land.


	13. Change in the Weather

"Nippy, isn't it?"

"Just a bit." Asbel turned as Richard joined him, wind stirring and making them both shiver. If this was the warm season in Fendel like everyone claimed, Asbel didn't want to visit when it grew _cold_.

"Good thing Pascal got that hot water system working, huh?" Asbel laughed, shifting on his feet and huddling closer when another gust blew past.

"You know, you really should consider investing in a cape, Asbel," Richard suggested.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. Maybe some mittens, though?"

Smiling, Richard reached for Asbel's hands, pressing them snuggly between his gloved ones. "Will this do?"


	14. Heartfelt Apology

Weak-limbed and utterly spent, Richard sank to the shuttle floor. His body ached, pushed past the point of exhaustion, and his mind trudged in sluggish circles as he attempted to piece together what had just happened so that he could - somehow - understand.

"Hey. How're you feeling?" A warm pressure at his shoulder, and then Asbel settled down beside him.  
_Asbel who now bore the burden that had driven him to such madness..._

Unsure of the answer, he offered a nod.

"It'll be okay, Richard," Asbel assured him. "Just rest now."

Richard nodded again, head slanting against Asbel's sleeve.

_'I'm sorry.'_


	15. Heart Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a conversation with the lovely Nausikaa.

Had Richard ever mentioned he could play the violin? 

Standing with mouth agape, Asbel watched the way the king's form angled, arms loose and hypnotizing as music flowed bright, beautiful, and haunting all at once. From the crease of Richard's brow, the beads of perspiration gathered beneath his hairline, it was hard not to imagine the notes pouring out of him instead. In a way, maybe they were.

Last note trembling, Richard raised the bow with a rapier-sharp flourish, chest heaving. Applause soon filled the audience chamber, gathered silhouettes closing the curtain on his performance. None clapped louder than Asbel.


	16. Breakfast

Richard quite looked forward to breakfast these days.

Though he'd been told his chef could "make one mean omelet", Richard knew his fondness for mornings had absolutely nothing to do with the kitchen staff's culinary expertise.

Upon waking, Richard eased up on one elbow, pausing to admire the way light dappled Asbel's skin, his slumbering form still halfway tangled in the bedclothes. Always was it tempting to curl himself closer and give in to a late start. But it was rewarding, too, on days when he shifted to rise and found a hand closing over his. And Asbel smiling back.


	17. Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter contains sexually implied content, but nothing explicit.

This isn't supposed to happen.  
When you admit something selfish like being jealous over your best friend, you're not supposed to get your way.

But Richard leans close, one hand on the back of the divan, and Asbel feels his neck burn. With the intent in Richard's eyes, the leg sliding between his knees, Asbel thinks the rest of him might just burst into flames too if he doesn't do something fast. Already he's pulling Richard into his lap, fumbling over belts and lace. Richard helps by tugging off his boots, and when he whispers in Asbel's ear - he ignites.


	18. Dangerous Territory

They've only just reunited, Richard thinks, and yet he's lied to him already.  
  
He remains seated on the sand while Asbel bathes, allowing nostalgia to distract him from darkening reality.  
  
Asbel has indeed changed. He's taller now, handsome, almost a man. Richard sees how eagerly Asbel grasps at a purpose, how regrets pass behind his eyes. And Richard wishes he could fix all this, too. Bring out the grinning boy of his memory for more than an instant - the one he recognizes in moments between battles.  
  
But though he can offer Asbel a place, he knows it's a dangerous one.


	19. Failure

The ground - no, the entire planet - seemed to shudder.  
Everything was about to break apart.

Richard felt no peace, just overwhelming emptiness. Even Lambda was silent as they watched the destruction their own hand had wrought.

It was never supposed to be like this.

Only Asbel still remained - but barely - as he limped near. And for a fleeting moment, Richard thought he would do it. Perhaps, somehow, Asbel could save him, could...end it all.

But when Asbel reached him, he collapsed into a fit of coughs, voice torn. "I failed. I couldn't, Richard... But still, I'm...glad you're here."


	20. Answers

"But you never..." Richard's voice trailed off as he took in Asbel's serene smile and just how content he seemed leaning back against the railing, breeze ruffling his jacket. He knew Asbel was being perfectly sincere, but even so, he could barely trust his own ears. Or his own answer.

"Never what?" came the inevitable inquiry.

"I've never noticed you look at anyone else," Richard continued, still trying to wrap his head about it. "And certainly not any men."

"Oh, _that_." Asbel fought down an awkward laugh. "I didn't really need to, right? I mean... I already know you, Richard."


	21. Seeing Red

All Asbel can make out is the moon-touched outline of Richard's contorted face and the anxious breathing that mists the air between them. Everything else is shrouded by darkness save the terrible red glow of Richard's left eye - a glow Asbel can no longer ignore.

"What's wrong, Richard?" Asbel finally asks, biting back panic. "Did your wound reopen? I'll fetch one of the--"

" _No_ ," Richard says, his voice harsh and almost angry. He shivers beneath Asbel's fingers even though a jacket's been draped across his shoulders to keep out the chill, then takes hold of Asbel's arm. "No, I'm fine."


	22. Separation

Asbel couldn't recall the royal wedding ceremony.

What he remembered was his stomach sinking just outside Richard's chambers and how every word collapsed before he got the first one out. He remembered the way Richard looked, decked out in white with so many gold buttons it must have weighed a ton. But even so, Richard seemed weightless as Asbel pulled him into a tight hug. The last he would ever get.

Asbel wanted to be happy for him, except that Richard wasn't either. His gaze across the lawn was listless, like someone half-awake, and maybe somehow Richard knew it too.


	23. Innocence

Asbel was, in a word, _special_. Though the two of them were similar, the way Asbel saw things was mystifying.

As they ventured to a brook where cryas shards gathered, Richard decided to make a list.

 _For Asbel, fun is just as important as learning,_ Richard noted. _Orders are not absolute. Splashing in mud puddles can be satisfying, and friendship is both as simple and treasured as you care to make it. And above all--_

"Come on, Richard! I think I see one!!" Asbel grinned over his shoulder and broke into a run. Stifling a laugh, Richard hurried to follow.


	24. Patience

Asbel rolled his eyes, arms propped on the sink as steam further obscured a reflected view of the shower door -- slid shut, of course. Richard had been bathing in there for what felt like an eternity and a half.

It didn't help that he'd begun humming a smooth, cheery tune.  
Taking his time.  
_Taking too long..._

By then the wait had become so excruciating that Asbel considered joining in (after all, he couldn't rightly deny Richard one of his goofball moments). But the melody was unfamiliar, and his patience had run dry.

With a huff, Asbel reached for the handle.


	25. Rivalry

Another warning clanged, the force shuddering up Asbel's arm.   
He turned, striking out with scabbard and up with knee, knowing Richard wouldn't wait for him to rebalance.

That was what made sparring so great. Not only was Richard skilled, he never went easy.   
And Asbel didn't either.

In a way, these moments were the most inspiring, when Richard set aside his usual prim demeanor and attacked with such intensity that Asbel barely had time to react, exchanging blow after blow until one or both of them slumped over.

Asbel never kept score - didn't need to.   
By now, they'd both won.


	26. Start

"Has anyone kissed you before, Asbel?"

The question is so unexpected Asbel's head pops up like a cork. Richard's watching with lips curled at the corners, chin propped on his palm. For once, the king's paperwork is untouched, and Asbel is left to wonder how long he's been pinned under that amber gaze without realizing.

"Why...why do you want to know?" he blurts out, trying not to fidget or stare or - _worse!_ \- bring the moment to a crashing halt.

"I mean," he tries again, "were you thinking about kissing someone?"

Richard's laugh is soft and inviting.

"Probably," he says.


	27. Game (Play)

Sitting at the counter of Velanik's inn, steam tickled Asbel's face while Richard and Sophie fought for dominion over The Fairytale Garden. They'd been traveling together for a week and a half, and already Asbel didn't want it to end. Seeing his friends laugh together with burlap armor and flimsy paper weapons was way more entertaining than being holed up in the office, and the gathered children's delight was contagious. 

Catching his eye, Richard's grin widened unexpectedly as he reached across the crowd. "Commander, your assistance please!"

Before he knew it, Asbel was on his feet. "Of course, Your Majesty."


	28. Cold Embrace

"Gyuh!" Asbel jolted as icy fingers skittered around his waist, lurching forward and nearly tripping over the laces he hadn't bothered to tie.

Behind him he heard a chuckle and found Richard covering his mouth with a guilty (more like _devious_ ) expression.

"What the big idea, Richard?" Asbel demanded, even though he wasn't mad. Just cold. _Freezing_ , now.

"Fashion faux pas," Richard explained mildly, offering the jacket he'd forgotten in his rush, "but I'm willing to let you off with a warning. Just this once."

"Gee, thanks." With a sigh, Asbel tugged his shirt, wondering how it got that way.


	29. Seeking Solace

Yet again Richard finds himself resting against Asbel's shoulder, eyes swollen with unspilled tears as the darkness in his chest swells and recedes. It's been nine days since he escaped, nine days since his father's death, and nine nights since he discovered one simple, pure comfort amidst all the death and deceit.

He still wonders at how Asbel managed to find him just then. At how the sureness of a hand on his back rekindles feelings he'd thought outgrown. But this is a hopelessness he can live with, he decides before drifting into slumber. 

This is a hopelessness without despair.


	30. Obsession

Only two types of people exist anymore: those who would hurt them and those who would help them.   
Of the last, there is Asbel.  
  
Brave, pure, _kind_ Asbel.  
  
Asbel stands by his side in Dalen's office while he drafts plans to infiltrate the capital.  
Asbel walks with him when he consults the generals of Gralesyde's land army.  
Asbel returns with him afterwards, and it's then that Richard considers sharing the truth.  
  
About everything.  
  
But in the end he doesn't; _can't._   
Imagine the empty space left behind if Asbel were to go  
             what darkness it would take to fill it in.


	31. Fork in the Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for illness, specifically dementia in an older person. It's a very difficult thing to learn to cope with and understand, and I wanted to try and capture some of that difficulty, and some of the beauty of having family and friends who will stay by you through that. 
> 
> This one is another real-world AU, where the characters have lived normal lives completely separate from the ones we know.

"Will Asbel be coming today?" the man beside him murmured for the third time, so quiet he seemed afraid to ask.

The doctors had said his health wouldn't improve, that the delusions would grow worse over time. Don't encourage them, they warned. Don't mention knights, kingdoms, or long journeys.

Don't take it _personally_.

"No, sorry. Not today." A hand was laid over the too-thin wrist and weary, shaking veins. "Maybe he'll visit tomorrow. For now, I'm here. Is that okay?"

"Yes. Thank you." The twinkle of clarity was brief, returned from that faraway place he so often visited these days.


	32. Pretense

"Seriously, Richard. Why do you wear these?" Asbel tested the glasses on his own nose, sociology book forgotten. 

He'd shown up to Richard's apartment under the pretense of homework, but instead they'd spent the last hour talking and goofing off together. 'Flirting' Pascal would've said.

"Why, all the better to see you with, my dear Asbel."

Asbel squinted hard, nudging the smug grin away with his shoulder. "They're just frames! Besides, your vision's all right."

"True enough." Richard chuckled. He pulled the headband free from Asbel's unruly fringe. "But you could call it an aesthetic. Personal style, if you would."


	33. Dark

"Wait...you're Prince Richard, the son of our King?"

Richard stared at the blossoms clustered about his feet, anticipating the familiar dark weight that tugged his stomach into his toes.

It was over.

Now that Asbel knew the truth, he'd try to use him just like all the others.  
Or worse, Asbel might come to despise him because of who he was.

It felt too sudden, too soon, to be robbed of the tiny light that had seeped in through the cracked glass of Richard's shadowed world. And he realized with a start that he didn't want to let go.


	34. Light

"Wait...you're Prince Richard, the son of our King?"

It didn't make sense. Didn't feel right. How could a prince look so _miserable_?  
And alone.  
Scared even.

Asbel hated studying, but he knew. Every declaration made about becoming a knight meant he'd one day serve the throne. But it wasn't Ferdinand he'd pledge his sword to.

No, it'd be Richard. The kid they'd found sitting in a dark guest room like he'd never had a friend in his life. Dragged up here because maybe among the flowers and wind, he'd relax and smile for a change. Kind and open. Bright.


	35. Reality

"And I can think of only two people who might fit the bill."

Watching Richard and Sophie curled up by the fireplace, their heads bent together over a book, Asbel was struck with the reality that such a declaration wasn't strictly true.

There was one other.  
But fitting him into the equation was something of an impossible dream. 

For all that Richard loved Sophie and doted on her like a member of his own family, Richard was the king, with his own responsibilities. 

And yet imagining the three of them spending their days together as family felt far too easy.


	36. Chapter 36

Asbel sighed for the tenth time. How was he supposed to turn all this work around in time for tomorrow's big meeting?

“Stress donuts?” a voice asked. 

Before Asbel knew it, a box of pastries appeared in front of his eyes. Maple, coconut, sprinkles…all of them enticing. Looking up, Asbel found Richard standing beside his desk, charming in a business suit.

“Richard, you're seriously the best.” Nabbing a chocolate-filled donut, Asbel flashed a grateful smile.

“Friend, or co-worker?” the other man beamed back.

“Both!” Asbel insisted around a mouthful of pastry, licking the icing off his fingers. “Everything, honestly.”


End file.
